Rating: 
Summary: Only five stars!? It deserves more than that!
Review: When I first saw this manga, I wasn't even going to look at it, thinking it was another generic comic about knights in shining armor and damsels in distress. Oh, how wrong I was... Any way, I decided I'd give it a try, and after I started reading it, I found I couldn't put it down. I'd have to say, this is the funniest manga I have ever read, (and I've read quite a few). The story itself reminds me of Rumiko Takahashi's Inu-Yasha, and the art looks somewhat (as someone previously mentioned,) like Sailor Moon.If you get this book, I hope you have as much fun (and as many laughs) as I did!! ^-^ Also recommended: Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind and
No Need for Tenchi!
Rating:
Summary: A darker yet enthralling volume of a great series.
Review: With the first volume, "Dragon Knights" surprised us with a relatively intelligent comedy in a fantasy world. While it may be comparable to the king of this genre, the almighty "Slayers", "Dragon Knights" manages to distinguish itself from other series with its unique characters and simple yet engaging story. Volume one introduced these characters and the quest they set out to carry out. With volume two, we get some back story that adds a great amount of depth to the overall series. The quest of the three Dragon Knights - Rath, who's obsessed with slaughtering demons; Thatz, who has a strong desire for cash; and Rune, who just wants to get home - was to find the head of Nadil, the enemy of Lord Lykouleon, and bring it back to the Lord. While the first volume showed the Dragon Knights' adventures in trying to get the head home, the second volume deals with the history of Nadil and Lord Lykouleon, as well as how the Dragon Knights came into being. Taken as a whole, the tone of volume two is a lot darker than volume one. Whereas volume one was filled with comical punch lines and witty situations, volume two touches on a serious subject within the overall story. There is humor found in the volume, particularly when the Dragon Knights are present, but when things get serious, it gets serious. But thankfully, everything manages to work out. The dark tone adds a lot to the story and the touches of comedy balances the volume out very well. It'll be interesting to see how volume three will play out, but since the series has so far proven it can be both funny and serious, it shouldn't matter in which direction the series heads. Overall, volume two is a wonderful continuation of "Dragon Knights", making the series an enjoyable read. And because it's in its original right-to-left format, it can be enjoyed the way it was meant to be enjoyed. I cannot recommend this series enough to fans of comical fantasy, but anyone looking for a quick laugh or an engaging story should also give "Dragon Knights" a chance.
Rating:
Summary: A incredibly humorous and highly amusing series.
Review: With TOKYOPOP's new "100% Authentic Manga" line, the company attempts to wipe away the mistakes they made with previous manga series ("Sailor Moon", "Cardcaptor Sakura", etc.) while at the same time giving the reader an "authentic" reading experience. The results so far have been nothing short of amazing, as brand new series are given a much higher scope of their potential. This quality extends into "Dragon Knights", a highly amusing series that benefits from TOKYOPOP's new format and showcases a humorous and entertaining story. "Dragon Knights" tells the story of Rune, Rath, and Thatz, three Dragon Knights that must deliver the head of a man named Nadil to the Dragon Lord Lykouleon. But this isn't easy, as the three characters have very conflicting plans: Rune just wants to get the head to the capital, Rath just wants to fight demons, and Thatz just wants to get money. Add in the mix a bunch of oddball characters after the head for their own ends, and the story takes a series of bizarre twists. The front cover of the volume makes it look serious, but the story is far from that. If you've ever seen "Slayers", then you'll know what to expect: complete zaniness. In what other manga does a soccer ball appear in a magical world? In what other manga does a bad guy threaten to banish a good guy from the comic? But the plot isn't shallow, either; beneath all the craziness in the first volume is a deep story that'll most likely be fleshed out in later volumes (all 16 of them). The first volume is very entertaining, and it gives a reader a lot to look forward to in the next installment. Visually, "Dragon Knights" isn't the best-looking manga on the market. However, the style really suits the series' oddball humor and characters; it'd be difficult to imagine the series looking any other way. If you had to compare it to something, I'd say it looks like the artwork of "Sailor Moon", only a LOT more polished and refined (and that might not even be a good comparison). Also, with TOKYOPOP's "100% Authentic Manga" format, the artwork is presented in it's original right-to-left format, leaving it untouched by photo-reversing affects and therefore leaving it clean and crisp. Regarding the translation, TOKYOPOP is indeed getting better. Previous efforts like "Cardcaptor Sakura" and "Gundam Wing" sounded stale and emotionless, but the translation of "Dragon Knights" is actually good. I counted one spelling error, but it's really nothing to get worked up about. And the overall dialogue is very convincing and emotional, thanks to the fact the text appears handwritten and not typed. Overall, "Dragon Warriors" is a great series that shows a lot of potential and will most likely live up to that potential. While it's not the best manga series out there, it's worth any serious manga reader's time to look into it, and fans of "Slayers" and other similar anime/manga should definately give this a try.
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